Improvement in convertible car-trucks



WQL.. RANKINS Convertible Gaaf-Truck.

No. 203,499. Patented May 7, 1878,.

NPI-3ans. PNnTmLITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

WILLIAM L. RANKINS, OF PARIS, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONVERTIBLE CAR-TRUCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,499, dated May 7, 1878; application filed April 8,1878. t

To all whom' it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. RANKrNs, of Paris, in the county of Bourbon, and in the State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Car Trucks; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of. reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

vThe nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a combined broad and narrow gage car-truck, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views of a part of the cross-beam.

A A represent the axles, with wheels B B on each. axle, of a broad-gage car-truck, the ends of the two axles being connected by means of suitable fra-mes C C. A A' are the axles, B B the wheels, and U C the connecting-frames, of a narrow-gage car-truck, and so constructed and arranged as to t within the broad-gage truck. In the centers of the frames C and C are vertical posts a a and a a', respectively, which form central vertical openings for the passage ofthe ends of a central cross-beam, D. Each end of this beam is cut down, as shown in Fig. 4, to form the shoulders d cl, the reduced portion of the beam being passed through the two frames C' and C, between their respective posts a and a, and

guide, b, to keep them separated, and on the,

extreme outer end of the beam is fastened a frame or stirrup, F. The two truck-frames are therefore entirely separate and independent of each other, and can be raised and lowered on the beam, as required for a broad or narrow gage track.

In Fig. 2 is shown the smaller truck elevated and held by pins h', and while the beam D is held in the bottom of the-opening in the frame C by a pin, h, which adapts the truck to a broad gage. By reversing the position of the two trucks it is adapted to a narrow-gage track.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A railroad-car truck composed of two separate and independent sets of axles, wheels, and connecting-frames, one arranged within the other, and both adjustable upon a center cross-beam, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination of the two connectingframes C C', having vertical posts a and a', aud the beam D, having shoulders d d, the guides b b, and frame F, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of March, 1878.

WILLIAM L. RANKINS. Witnesses: JNO. A. MILLIGAN,

BENJ. PERRY. 

